Shoe



May ii,

Fr -WENT @Fiditlti.

ANGELO CASCIA, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed February 10, 1521. Serial No. 443,844.

This invention has relation to improvements in footwear, and has for an object toprovide means whereby the shoe laces of lace shoes may be partly or entirely hiddei'i from view when tied so as to present a neat appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in footwear with particular reference to lace shoes, and has for its object to provide means whereby the eyelets used in shoes of this type may be hidden from view and at the same time rendered useful for the purpose intended, thereby enabling the shoes to be securely and easily laced and at the same time hiding the laces partly or entirely from view so as to improve the appearance of the shoe upon the foot of the wearer.

In addition to the foregoing this inven tion comprehends improvements in the de tails of construction and arrangement on parts to be hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in which they appear.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a lace shoe illustrating the embodiment therein of my invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary inside view of one of the sides of the shoe upper illustrating a slightly modified manner of arrangement, and

Figure 1 is a transverse section taken on the ]ine 4& of Figure 3.

With reference to the drawings, 10 indicates generally a shoe, and 11 and 12 indicate the side flaps of the upper which are intended to be laced together attheir meeting edges when the shoe is worn, To the inner surface of each of the flaps 11 and 19 adjacent their meeting edges there is secured a layer or thickness of leather, canvas or other flexible and simple material indicated at 13. These thicknesses are stitched along their upper edges and rear edges as indicated at 14 to the inner sides of the flaps, but are left unstitched at their forward edges as shown in Figure 1. The flaps are then perforated and eyelets 15 of conventional type are inserted therein and secured in place in suitable spaced bela tion. At points between the eyelets 15 I provide a means for securing the outer edge of the flap 13 to the outer edges of the flaps 11 and 12 and preferably employ one or two stitches as indicated at 16, located at the points mentioned. In this manner the flaps 13 are held against separation from the shoe, while at the same time permitting the insertion of the laces in the usual manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a shoe may be laced by inserting the shoe lac s through the eyelets 15 and, through the spaces between the flaps 11 and 12 and 13. When the shoe laces are drawn tight the meeting edges of the upper will be brought together and the shoe laces rendered entirely or almost hidden from sight thus preserving a neat appearance of the shoe upper.

I have illustrated in Figures 8 and 41 a. slightly modified form of invention in which the flap 11 is similarly provided with a flap 13, in this instance stitched only at its rear edge as at 1 1 to the shoe upper and having in a similar manner a plurality of eyelets 15. However, in place of the stitches 16 I prefer to employ a plurality of snap fasteners one member of which is indicated at 17. A number of these are arranged along the edge of the flap 13, and a correspond ing number of receiving elements 18 are secured to the inner surface of the flaps 11 and 12 as shown. By engaging the member 17 with the members 18 the flap 13 may be securely held against the edge of the upper member and also readily disengaged when desired to permit the facile inserting of the shoe laces. Otherwise the manner and use of the device is the same as that described above.

It will be seen that I have provided a novel improvement in footwear of the lace type whereby the laces may be utilized in the ordinary manner without detracting from the appearance of the shoe or Without the necessity of providing eyelets, hooks or any other metallic or fastening means upon the exterior of the shoe. It will be apparent that other forms of devices and eyelets may be utilized as fastening means without departing from the spirit of the invention, H y I While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various altere tiens therein may be made. I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is In combination with the side flaps of a shoe upper, a pair of thicknesses of material, one secured to each inner side of each of the side flaps of the shoe upper, eyelets secured in said thicknesses in spaced relation, the edge of the thicknesses being stitched to the edges of the flaps at equi-distant points between the eyelets for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ANGELO CASCIA. [L. s] 

